CUNY Grad Center GENERAL SURVEY for philosophy graduate students:

Self-Study Questionnaire

This file is available as a downloadable Word Document.

General statement of objectives (1-4 paragraphs) to start, including

-      Goals of data

-      How data will be used

-      How data will be stored and handled

-      Who will have access to it

-      Confidentiality measures we will take

-      How long survey will take to fill out

Funding

Q1. [  ] What kind of funding package do you have?

-      No funding

-      Tuition remission only

-      5-year funding package requiring teaching responsibilities

-      5-year funding package not requiring teaching responsibilities

Q2. [  ] If answered “no funding” above, select one of the below

-      I teach 0 course sections

-      I teach 1 course sections

-      I teach 2 course sections

-      I teach 3 course sections

-      I teach 4 or more course sections

Q3. [  ] By the time I leave CUNY I anticipate having taught XX course sections.

-      0-5

-      5-10

-      5-15

-      15-20

-      20-25

-      25-30

-      30+

Q4. [  ] I depend on non-guaranteed teaching on a semester-by-semester basis.

Q5. [  ] If yes above, I am confident that I will continue to have adequate teaching opportunities in the future. (Likert scale, 1 not confident, 2 somewhat unconfident, 3 unsure, 4 somewhat confident, 5 confident)

Q6. Which of the following sources of financial support have you received?

(check all that apply)

[  ] Graduate Teaching Fellowship

[  ] Tuition Remission

[  ] Mellon stipend top-up grant

[  ] Kripke fellowship

[  ] Gilleece grant

[  ] Semester-by-semester teaching assistantship (e.g. Being a TA for a class at City College)

[  ] Semester-by-semester grading (e.g. hourly grader for a logic course at Baruch College)

[  ] Semester-by-semester teaching fellowship (e.g primary instructor at City College)

[  ] Adjunct rate teaching at CUNY college

[  ] Adjunct rate teaching outside of CUNY

[  ] Research assistantship

[  ] Paid DSC position

[  ] Writing Fellowship

[  ] CUNY support staff work (e.g., at library, in Admissions office, etc)

[  ] Loans (from any source)

[  ] Personal savings

[  ] Personal earnings during graduate school (other than sources listed above: e.g., retail or food service)

[  ] Spouse’s, partner’s, or family’s earnings or savings

[  ] Foreign (non-U.S.) support

[  ] Other – Specify

Q7. During a typical WEEK this semester, approximately how many hours do you spend on the

following activities:

(matrix with selection spaces for hourly commitments, 0, up to 5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40 41-45, 46-50, 51-55, 56-60, 61-65, 66-70, 71-75, 76-80, more than 80)

Classes: attend scheduled classes

Homework: work on scheduled courses outside of class

Research: other academic work (include non-class research, reading groups, etc)

Teaching: in classroom

Teaching: prep

Philosophy events (e.g. colloquia, workshops, etc)

Service work (e.g. DSC, student steering committee, GTF representative at CUNY colleges)

Other work (paid or nonpaid)

Q8. I estimate that after taxes and student fees my annual income from my 5-year funding (not including adjuncting, grading gigs, etc) is $XXX

-      0-5K/year,

-      5K-10K/year

-      10K-12K/year

-      12K-15K/year

-      15K-16K/year

-      16K-17K/year

-      17-18K/year

-      18-19K/year

-      19K-20K/year

-      20K-21K/year

-      21K+/year

Q9. [  ] I estimate that after taxes and student fees my total annual CUNY funding (including adjuncting, research assistantships, working at library, grading gigs, etc) is $XXX

-      0-5K

-      5K-10K

-      10K-12K

-      12K-15K

-      $15K-16K

-      16K-17K

-      17-18K

-      18-19K

-      19K-20K

-      20K-21K

-      21K-22K

-      22K-23K

-      24K-25K

-      25K+

Q10. [  ] My take-home income from my CUNY stipend is livable (e.g., I am able to pay my rent and bills, afford a safe apartment, pay medical and transportation expenses, etc).  (Likert scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Unsure, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

Q11. [  ] There is adequate funding available for travel and research (e.g. if my submission is accepted to a professional conference in my area of specialization in the Continental US, there are funds available that cover my round trip airfare).  (Likert scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Unsure, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

Q12. I feel that my teaching load has had no significant negative influence on my ability to complete my studies. (Likert scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Unsure, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

INSTRUCTIONS: For the following questions please use the response scale below to indicate your level of AGREEMENT or DISAGREEMENT with each statement.

1 = Strongly Disagree

2 = Disagree

3 = Unsure

4 = Agree

5 = Strongly Agree

 

Speaking up issues

Q13: [   ] I feel comfortable speaking whenever I want in seminars/department colloquia.

Q14: [   ] I feel comfortable speaking whenever I want in small groups of faculty and students.

Q15: [   ] I feel comfortable speaking whenever I want in small groups of students.

Q16: [  ] I feel that I am sometimes unfairly excluded from philosophical conversations among graduate students.

Q17: [   ] I feel free to communicate any concerns I have about my studies, other students, or the department to an appropriate member of the department.

Q18: [   ] I wish faculty would pay more attention to students who are ‘quiet’ and do not tend to speak in class.

Hierarchy issues

Q19. [  ] There is sexist behavior by graduate students towards other graduate students.

Q20. [  ] There is sexist behavior by faculty towards graduate students.

Q21. [  ] Some faculty engage in sexist behavior towards other faculty members.

Q22. [  ] Some faculty engage in sexist behavior towards visiting speakers.

Q23. [  ] I have experienced or witnessed verbal or physical sexual harassment by graduate students.

Q24. [  ] I have experienced or witnessed verbal or physical sexual harassment by faculty.

Q25. [  ] I have experienced or witnessed verbal or physical harassment by graduate students on the basis of perceived or actual sexual orientation/gender expression, race/ethnicity, disability, nation or origin, language of origin, or religion.

Q26. [  ]  I have experienced or witnessed verbal or physical harassment by faculty on the basis of perceived or actual sexual orientation/gender expression, race/ethnicity, disability, nation of origin, language of origin, or religion.

Q27. [  ]  I have been subjected to inappropriate or disrespectful language while a graduate student at the CUNY Graduate Center (e.g., philosophical examples that are offensive or demeaning; arguments endorsing the position that some identity I am a member of is unnatural, disgusting, or morally inferior).

Q28. [  ] There is an unhealthy sense of hierarchy or ‘pecking order’ among the graduate students.

Q29. [   ] There should be a hierarchy among graduate students according to perceived philosophical ability.

Choose the answer that BEST describes your belief:

Q30. [   ] There is a hierarchy among graduate students according to perceived philosophical ability, and I believe that I am perceived to be in the

1. top 1%

2. top 5%

3. top 10%

4. top 25%

5. top half

6. bottom half

7. bottom 25%

8. bottom 10%

9. There is no hierarchy among graduate students according to perceived philosophical ability.

Q31. [  ] Whether or not there is a hierarchy of perceived philosophical ability among the graduate students, when measuring actual philosophical ability relative to the other students in the program, I believe that I am in the

1. top 1%

2. top 5%

3. top 10%

4. top 25%

5. top half

6. bottom half

7. bottom 25%

8. bottom 10%

Seminar issues

Q32. [  ] I wish faculty would encourage more student discussion in seminars.

Q33. [  ] I wish faculty would control seminar discussions so that the same students do not always dominate the discussion.

Q34. [  ] I wish other faculty would not attend seminars.

Q35. [  ] I find student presentations in seminars helpful to my development as a philosopher.

Q36. [   ] I prefer seminars in which the professor(s) primarily lecture.

Q37. [   ] I prefer seminars in which the professor(s) do not prepare their own ‘line’ of argument but simply explain the required reading and open the class for discussion by students.

Q38. [  ] There are too many students in my seminars.

Q39. [  ] I prefer seminars with 10 or fewer students.

Q40. [   ] What forms of assessment do you prefer?

-      one long paper

-      a few short papers

-      student presentations

-      mid-term and final exams

Q41. [  ] Points raised by less forceful students in a seminar are often not given the attention that they deserve.

Q42. [   ] I believe that I have sufficient information about what counts as good work in courses, exams, etc. in the graduate program.

Q43. [   ] I get sufficient feedback from the philosophy faculty and graduate director on my progress and promise as a philosopher.

Q44. [   ] My philosophical interests are sufficiently reflected in course offerings on a regular basis.

Administrative issues

Q45. [  ] Each incoming student should be assigned an advisor to whom he or she can turn for nonphilosophical (e.g., administrative, moral) help.

Q46. [  ] I wish the department would assign me a mentor who would oversee my development as a philosopher.

Q47. [  ] There should be formal protocol for department-wide annual student assessment (e.g., short written reports from faculty on student progress)

Q48. [  ] I am aware of the various student committees that exist to assist and represent the CUNY philosophy graduate students (e.g., alumni and student affairs committee, placement committee, student steering committee, etc).

Q49. [  ] I think the various student committees function and serve their purposes well.

Q50. [  ] The department gives its students sufficient support when they go on the job market.

Overall atmosphere issues

Q51. [  ] My experience as a student in the Philosophy Program has been enhanced by my participation in an auxiliary program or group (e.g. the CogSci certificate, Women’s Studies certificate, MSSM ethics fellowship, Kripke Center).

Q52. [  ] If yes above, name the group and describe ways in which it has enhanced your (academic, social, pre-professional) experience.

Q53. [  ] I am concerned that those who do well in their graduate work and go on to have successful careers in philosophy are typically more competitive or aggressive than I am.

Q54. [  ] There are sufficient (and sufficiently varied) social opportunities to mix with faculty.

Q55. [  ] Faculty are interested in me or my research.

Q56. [  ] Were I to express concerns I had about life in the department, those concerns would be taken seriously and good faith efforts would be undertaken to address them.

Q57[  ]  The department atmosphere is unnecessarily combative and competitive.

Q58. [   ]  There are faculty who could direct a dissertation in my preferred areas of philosophical interest

Q59. [    ] I have not had (or do not anticipate having) problems finding faculty who could sit on a dissertation committee in my preferred area of research.

Q60. [   ] There are faculty with strong research histories in my preferred areas of philosophical interest.

Q61. [    ] My philosophical interests are adequately represented at department colloquia.

Q62. [  ] The Q&A part of department colloquia is sufficiently organized and moderated (e.g., a queue is taken, people do not speak out of turn).

Q63. [  ] I prefer a consistently enforced policy according to which graduate students are allowed to jump the queue for questions at the Q&A part of department colloquia.

Q64. [  ] I feel that I am valued, respected member of the department.

Section for write-in responses

ANSWER as fully as possible the following:

Q65. What do you take to be the three most important ways in which your life in the department might be improved (please list only things that could reasonably be changed). If you can, provide concrete suggestions as to how these improvements could be brought about.{  }

Demographic Information

(Important here to insert language saying data is all aggregated so responses are not identifiable)

Q67. Student status:

[  ] Level I

[  ] Level II

[  ] Level III

Q68. Gender:

[  ] Female

[  ] Male

[  ] Transgender/or other

Q69. Are you married or in a committed domestic relationship?

[  ] Yes

[  ] No

Q70. If yes, is this person employed?

[  ] No

[  ] Part-time

[  ] Full-time

Q71. If yes, is this person a student?

[  ] No

[  ] Part-time

[  ] Full-time

Q72. Do you have children living with you?

[  ] Yes

[  ] No

Q73. Were you born in the U.S.?

[  ] Yes

[  ] No

Q74. Is English your native language?

[  ] Yes

[  ] No

Q75. What is your sexual orientation?

[  ] Heterosexual

[  ] Gay/lesbian

[  ] Bisexual

[  ] Unsure

[  ] Other (write in)

Q76. Ethnicity:

[  ] I am Hispanic or Latino

[  ] I am neither Hispanic nor Latino

Q77. Race: (choose one or more)

[  ] American Indian or Alaska Native

[  ] Asian

[  ] Black or African American

[  ] Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

[  ] White

Q78. Your citizenship:

[  ] U.S. Citizen

[  ] Permanent U.S. Resident

[  ] International

For Women Grads Only:

Poll Questions:

Q79. [  ] In general, male faculty find it more difficult to talk philosophy with women graduate students than with male graduate students.

Q80. [  ] I believe that there are hierarchy cues (such as lack of eye-contact and tone of voice), employed by faculty and graduate students, whose employment negatively affect the philosophical development of some graduate students.

Q81. [  ] Do you feel that you have been discriminated against on the basis of gender in the philosophy department?  If so, please indicate when (in the past year, four years ago, etc): and describe – as specifically as you would like – the nature of the discrimination.

Q82. [  ]  Do you think that the department is an equally good place for women to study philosophy as it is for men?  (If not, why not?)

Q83. [  ]  Would you have any hesitation in recommending that a woman come to study philosophy here, because of gender issues specific to the CUNY Graduate Center?

Q84. [  ] Any other thoughts/ comments on whether the CUNY Graduate Center is a good place for women?

Q85. [  ]     Any thoughts/comments on climate issues in general (whether or not related to gender)?

For International Grads Only

Q86. [  ] I have experienced difficulties with CUNY Graduate Center bureaucracy regarding my international status. Describe, if you would like, the nature of such experiences.

Q87. [  ] I have experienced difficulties with CUNY GC philosophy department bureaucracy regarding my international status. Describe, if you would like, the nature of such experiences.

Q88. [  ] As an international student, I have equal access to teaching opportunities and funding as domestic CUNY students.

Q89. [  ] I feel that it is more difficult for me to complete my academic responsibilities as an international student.

Q90. Do you experience the department (i.e. faculty and students) as welcoming of international students?

Q91. Any other thoughts/ comments on whether the CUNY Graduate Center is a good place for international students?